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AN OPEN LETTER TO SENATOR PING LACSON AND SENATE PRESIDENT TITO SOTTO

🟥 MAKE THE BLUE RIBBON COMMITTEE REPORT PUBLIC

Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, Chairman, Senate Blue Ribbon Committee
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III

Senators,

The Filipino people are asking one simple thing: release the Blue Ribbon Committee report on the flood control scandal. Not next month. Not after more caucuses. Now.

Here is where things stand, and why Filipinos have every reason to demand transparency.

🟥 THE FACTS ARE NOT IN DISPUTE

Finance Secretary Raph Recto told the Senate that up to 118.5 billion pesos, roughly $2 billion, in flood control funding may have been lost to corruption. President Marcos himself admitted that many of the more than 10,000 flood control projects under his administration were built with substandard materials or never built at all, calling them "ghost projects."

The Blue Ribbon Committee, under Senator Lacson's chairmanship, conducted multiple public hearings starting in September 2025. Whistleblowers from the Department of Public Works and Highways testified under oath. They named names. They named senators. They named congressmen. They named contractors.

The draft partial report recommends that Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Joel Villanueva, and Chiz Escudero undergo preliminary investigation for plunder, direct bribery, malversation, violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and breaches of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards. Former senator B**g Revilla, fugitive former congressman Zaldy Co, and former representative Mitch Cajayon-Uy are also named.

The evidence has been gathered. The hearings have been held. The draft exists.

So why can't the Filipino people see it?

🟥 THE REPORT IS BEING HELD HOSTAGE BY PROCEDURE

Senator Sotto, you told the press on February 5, 2026: "It's merely a draft and thus not official. If other committee members haven't even reviewed or seen it, it cannot be disclosed."

Senator Lacson, you confirmed that as of March 11, 2026, only four out of nine required senators have signed the partial report: yourself, Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros, and Kiko Pangilinan. You need five more signatures before it can be brought to the Senate floor.

Meanwhile, three senators who initially signed, Juan Miguel Zubiri, JV Ejercito, and Sherwin Gatchalian, withdrew their signatures after the draft was leaked in early February. Senator Marcoleta refuses to sign, citing what you yourself called a "flimsy" excuse that the chairman hadn't signed yet, even though a physical copy with your signature was available in your office.

Kaya ayun. Nakatengga. The report sits there, unsigned, unreleased, while Filipinos drown in the next typhoon season.

🟥 THE CONSTITUTION IS CLEAR

Article III, Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution states: "The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to documents, and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, shall be afforded the citizen."

This provision is self-executing. No additional legislation is needed for it to apply. Every claim of exemption is liberally construed in favor of disclosure and strictly against confidentiality.

Lawyers Eldrige Marvin Aceron, Sikini Labastilla, and Purificacion Bartolome-Bernabe filed a petition on February 4, 2026 demanding full disclosure of the draft report. When the Senate denied their request on February 23, they escalated to the Supreme Court on March 2, 2026, filing a petition for mandamus and certiorari.

Their argument is simple: findings of a public Senate investigation into multi-billion-peso flood control corruption, with recommendations of plunder charges against sitting senators, is unambiguously a matter of public concern.

They are right.

🟥 WHAT WE ARE ASKING

Senator Lacson, Senator Sotto, this letter does not question the integrity of the investigation. Senator Lacson, your privilege speech on March 10, 2026 showed your commitment to debunking false claims and defending the Blue Ribbon process. Your office has stated that the public deserves to see the findings.

We agree. So act on it.

To Senator Sotto: use your authority as Senate President to compel the committee members to act. Call a caucus. Require the remaining senators to state, publicly and on the record, whether they will sign or not and why. The Filipino people deserve to know which of their elected officials are blocking transparency on a scandal involving $2 billion of their money.

To Senator Lacson: you said yourself, "the substance will not change." You said the core of the report remains intact. If the evidence is solid, fight for its release. Push back against the senators stalling with procedural excuses.

To both of you: the Senate's internal rules should not override the Constitution. Hindi puwedeng mas mahalaga ang proseso kaysa sa katotohanan.

🟥 THE COST OF SILENCE

Typhoon Kalmaegi killed over 230 Filipinos. Flood control projects that were supposed to protect them were either never built or built with garbage materials. The flood control scandal wiped out 1.7 trillion pesos in stock market value in just three weeks. Contractors withdrew 457 million pesos in cash for kickback payments.

Every day this report stays locked in a Senate office is another day the people who stole from disaster victims face no accountability. Every unsigned page is a win for the senators, congressmen, and contractors who turned Filipino lives into profit.

Ang tanong lang naman: kaninong interes ba ang prinoprotektahan ng Senate?

Release the report.

Respectfully but firmly,
A Filipino citizen demanding accountability

Merry Christmas, Ark Radio Cebu family! 🎄✨ As we celebrate the joyous season of giving and love, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for being part of our Ark Radio Cebu community. 🎧❤️

Your support and loyalty mean the world to us, and we're blessed to have you tuning in to our shows, sharing your stories, and spreading positivity through our platform. 📻💖

This Christmas, may you be surrounded by love, laughter, and all your favorite things. May your hearts be filled with joy, peace, and hope, and may our community continue to be a source of inspiration and strength for one another.

Thank you for being part of our Ark Radio Cebu family! We look forward to sharing more amazing moments with you in the coming year! 🎉 Merry Christmas, and may God bless you all! 🙏❤️

Wala kay Sen. Ronald dela Rosa ang pagkukulang sa kanyang pagliban kundi nasa gobyerno at Senado, na bigong matiyak na may legal protection ang bansa para sa opisyal, ani Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

Hindi pumapasok sa Senado si Dela Rosa matapos mapaulat ang umano'y nakaabang na warrant of arrest ng ICC laban sa kanya.

Basahin ang ulat sa comments section.

Maraming salamat po sa inyong tiwala at suporta! 🇵🇭

PACENSIYA NA PO, CONG SANDRO. 🤔

Ngunit baka nakaligtaan ninyo na naglabas ng resibo si Zaldy Co, sa mga alegasyon niya laban sainyo. 🤔

At buong listahan ito ng mga sarili mong insertions sa budget diumano. 🤔

Kaya bago natin sabihing fantastic ang kuwentong ito ni Zaldy Co, ano kaya kung:

1. Icheck muna natin ang listahan ng insertions na ito, kung wala ba ito sa mga dating proposed budget ng Palasyo na isinumite sa Kongreso. 🤔

2. Ngunit naipasok na ito sa final version ng budget na pinirmahan ng tatay mong Pangulo. 🤔

3. Dahil kapag ganito ang nangyari dito, then project insertions nga sa bicameral level ang mga ito. 🤔

4. At pagkatapos nito ay icheck natin kung anong uri ng mga proyekto ba ito. Ito ba ay mga proyektong matitino, o mga walang kuwentang flood control projects na naman ito? 🤔

5. At bukod pa dito, icheck rin natin kung sino ang mga contractors na gumawa ng mga proyektong ito, at kung maayos ba, o hindi ang pagkakagawa ng mga ito. Baka naman kasi puro mo pala kaibigan ang mga ito. 🤔

Ngayon, kung base sa ganitong patas at masusing imbestigasyon, ay malinis mo ang pangalan mo, naku, maniniwala na kami na puro kuwentong barbero lang itong si Zaldy Co. 🤭

Mag iingat lang po kayo, dahil ang huling listahan na inilabas ng taong ito ay napatunayan nang totoo, at kuwentas klaras pa nga ang mga ito. 🫣

At kami naman po ay gusto lang malaman ang kuwentong totoo, at maparusahan ang mga tunay na kawatan sa gobyerno. 🙄

Kahit sino pa man ito sainyo. 🫡

FALL GUY SI ZALDY?

Posibleng hindi umano si dating Ako Bicol Party-list representative Zaldy Co ang mastermind sa likod ng umano'y pangungurakot sa pondo para sa flood control, ayon kay UP College of Law professor Atty. Atty. Tony Laviña.

"The mastermind here, the former legislator in Malacañang or in the Cabinet, na magaling talaga sa [usaping] budget. Alam niya how to steal from the budget," ayon kay UP College of Law professor Atty. Tony La Viña sa panayam sa 'Ted Failon and DJ Chacha.'

Full interview sa comments section.

'THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS THE HELP OF ALL MEDIA'

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. warned that disinformation has escalated into a national threat, distorting public discourse and overshadowing credible journalism.

Speaking before the Malacañang Press Corps, he called on media to help reclaim the information space from conspiracy theories and coordinated misinformation networks.

Marcos urged a stronger government–press partnership to promote accuracy and restore a rational, fact-based national conversation.

Mga naghahanap kay Sen. Bato, sinagot ni SP Sotto

STATEMENT OF SEN. RODANTE D. MARCOLETA ON THE SUSPENSION OF REP. KIKO BARZAGA

The suspension of Rep. Kiko Barzaga is not merely a dispute over ethics—it is about silencing dissent. It is a reaction to his efforts to spotlight deeper, long-standing problems that demand public scrutiny. The facts speak for themselves, yet the Committee chose to penalize expressions that sought to withdraw attention to issues affecting governance, accountability, and public welfare. When a governing body stretches the concept of “ethics” to include criticism of systemic shortcomings, it transforms an oversight mechanism into a tool of political control.

The posts in question were clearly aimed at raising awareness, engaging constituents, encouraging civic participation, or using humor and commentary to highlight issues of public concern. These are core democratic spaces that should not be sacrificed in the altar of the House Rules. Public officials routinely communicate with the people they represent, and social media platforms have become one of the most direct avenues for doing so. Penalizing such communication sends a message that only sanitized and approved speech is safe, a message that undermines the very transparency and openness that ethical governance supposedly demands. By responding with punitive action instead of engagement, the Committee signals an unwillingness to confront these systemic problems, shielding the very ills that Rep. Kiko Barzaga sought to expose.

𝘚𝘢 𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘬𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘬𝘰, 𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘬𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘨𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘬𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘮𝘰 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘪𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘢𝘩𝘪𝘭 𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘢 𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘴𝘺𝘰𝘯. 𝘎𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬, 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵. 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘦, 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥.

𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘺 𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧. 𝘐𝘧 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮. 𝘚𝘢 𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘬𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘺𝘢, 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘢𝘰—𝘴𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨—𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪 𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘬—𝘪𝘵𝘰’𝘺 𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘨𝘢𝘯.

Four lawmakers from Davao have issued a joint “Statement of Support” pushing back against the House of Representatives’ decision to suspend Rep. Kiko Barzaga for 60 days without pay over allegedly inappropriate social media posts. The suspension, approved on December 1, 2025, by 249 members of the 20th Congress, marks only the fourth time in Philippine history that a sitting member of Congress has faced this kind of penalty.

In their statement, Rep. Paolo Duterte of Davao City’s 1st District, Rep. Omar Duterte of the 2nd District, Rep. Isidro Ungab of the 3rd District, and Rep. Harold James T. Duterte of the PPP Partylist said the punishment sends a troubling message that sharp criticism of powerful figures can now be treated as “disorderly behavior” rather than being answered through open and democratic debate. They noted that the complaint was filed by Barzaga’s former party, the National Unity Party, and moved through the Ethics Committee with unusual speed—prompting doubts about whether the move stemmed from political motivations instead of a fair assessment of his conduct.

The lawmakers also questioned the committee’s broad interpretation that Barzaga’s posts harmed the “dignity” of the House, saying it creates an overly wide and subjective standard for what legislators may or may not say online. They stressed that the decision comes at a time when Filipinos are facing economic uncertainty, peace and order issues, and persistent allegations of corruption in major public projects. In such a climate, they argued, silencing a critic only deepens public suspicion instead of restoring trust in institutions.

Standing with the five lawmakers who opposed the suspension and the eleven who refused to join the majority, the Davao representatives called on Congress to maintain transparency, embrace accountability, and pursue a continuing good-faith search for the truth.

Barzaga becomes only the fourth member of Congress to be suspended in the country’s legislative history. The first was Sergio Osmeña Jr. in 1960, who was suspended for 15 months after accusing President Carlos Garcia of bribery. Twenty-nine years later, in 1989, Nicanor de Guzman Jr. was suspended over allegations of smuggling high-powered fi****ms. In 2023, Arnie Teves was suspended three times for disorderly conduct, continued absence, refusal to return to the country, defiance of House orders, use of foreign platforms to attack government institutions, and refusal to participate in proceedings.

“The search for truth must continue,” the lawmakers said, emphasizing that their responsibility is not only to their constituents but to future generations.